The present invention relates to a connecting element for connecting an accessory instrument to hand-held or floor vacuum cleaners. More particularly, it relates to a connecting element which is rotatably and tiltably supported in a housing of the additional implement and consists of a front portion supported in the housing and a rotatably mounted connecting portion.
Connecting elements of the above-mentioned general type are known in the art. All rotatable and tiltable connecting elements have identical features. A connecting part which is rotatably supported in a front part is inclined by an angle with its central axis in the normal position relative to the central axis of the front portion. This is necessary since by rotation of the connected vacuum cleaner, the accessory instrument can swivel to the right or to the left and thereby can be controlled. This, however, results in several essential disadvantages. It is not possible that a vacuum cleaner and an accessory instrument connected therewith can swivel with their main axes in one plane. Because of the bent connecting portion, the vacuum cleaner always assumes a certain angle to the horizontal plane. Only by swiveling by 90.degree. is it possible that the vacuum cleaner is located in the plane of the accessory instrument. Then, however, the housing of the vacuum cleaner extends in a transverse direction. As a result of this, certain working heights cannot be overlapped with the aid of the known connecting elements.